South America

Group Details

South America – a continent, the fourth largest, of the southern Western Hemisphere southeast of North America, bordering on the Caribbean in the north, the Pacific in the west, and the Atlantic in the east and joined to Central America by the Isthmus of Panama. It is dominated by the Andes Mountains, includes many volcanoes, and ranges from dense tropical jungle, desert, and temperate plains to the cold wet windswept region of Tierra del Fuego.   It also includes the Falkland Islands and the Galapagos Islands.

southern hemisphere - the hemisphere to the south of the equator

Argentina, Argentine Republic - a republic in southern South America; second largest country in South America

Chile, Republic of Chile - a republic in southern South America on the western slopes of the Andes on the south Pacific coast

Colombia, Republic of Colombia - a republic in northwestern South America with a coastline on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea; achieved independence from Spain in 1821 under the leadership of Simon Bolivar; Spanish is the official language

Ecuador, Republic of Ecuador - a republic in northwestern South America; became independent from Spain in 1822; the landscape is dominated by the Andes

Bolivia, Republic of Bolivia - a landlocked republic in central South America; Simon Bolivar founded Bolivia in 1825 after winning independence from Spain

Brasil, Brazil, Federative Republic of Brazil - the largest Latin American country and the largest Portuguese speaking country in the world; located in the central and northeastern part of South America; world's leading coffee exporter

Guiana - a geographical region of northeastern South America including Guyana and Surinam

Paraguay, Republic of Paraguay - a landlocked republic in south central South America; achieved independence from Spain in 1811

Peru, Republic of Peru - a republic in western South America; achieved independence from Spain in 1821; was the heart of the Inca empire from the 12th to 16th centuries

Uruguay - a South American republic on the southeast coast of South America; achieved independence from Brazil in 1825

Guiana Highlands - a mountainous tableland in northern South America; extends from Venezuela into Guyana and northern Brazil

Republic of Venezuela, Venezuela - a republic in northern South America on the Caribbean; achieved independence from Spain in 1811; rich in oil

Uruguay River  - a South American river that arises in southern Brazil and flows south to the Rio de la Plata; the northern section forms the boundary between Argentina and Brazil and the southern section forms the boundary between Argentina and Uruguay.